Acne vulgaris is a dermatological disorder prevalent in adolescence. It appears most commonly on the face and trunk of the patient. The basic lesion of acne is the comedo or blackhead of a pilosebaceous follicle. In its mildest form, only few comedones are present, but in its severe form, a large number of severe, persistent comedones are present. Permanent scarring is frequently a consequence of the severe form of acne.
Acne occurs when there is a filling up of the follicle with a rather tough keratinous material. This impaction of horny material is the whitehead and blackhead. As a result of bacterial growth in these horny impactions, the follicle ruptures, initiating the inflammatory phase of the disease, which takes the form of pustules, papules, cysts and nodules.
A variety of methods has been used for the treatment of acne, including the use of peeling agents, hormone therapy for female patients, antibacterial therapy, general surgical skin planing and the topical use of vitamin A acid (all-trans-retinoic acid, tretinoin) as well as of benzoyl peroxide.